


I Found You

by QuickSilverFox3



Series: Whumptober 2020 [20]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, First Meetings, M/M, Medical Procedures, Pre-Canon, Pre-Slash, Temporary Amnesia, Temporary Character Death, it makes sense I promise, little bit of assassins creed but no prior knowledge needed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27287908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuickSilverFox3/pseuds/QuickSilverFox3
Summary: A strange hush had fallen over the battlefield, both sides waiting in tense anticipation for the day ahead. Nicolo curled up on the softest patch of ground he could find, and watched the fire dance through half-lidded eyes.[No 20. TOTO, I HAVE A FEELING WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE Medieval]
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Whumptober 2020 [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947016
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	I Found You

A strange hush had fallen over the battlefield, both sides waiting in tense anticipation for the day ahead. Nicolo curled up on the softest patch of ground he could find, and watched the fire dance through half-lidded eyes.

He had fought before, but something felt different now. A stillness on the air, or a whisper on the wind. 

The iron of his cross, warmed by his skin, seemed to burn his lips as he kissed it, a prayer forming and dying on his lips. He sighed, turning his head to watch the stars, falling asleep with a name he didn’t recognise on his lips.

* * *

Yusuf watched the campfires of the Franks cover the ground like the stars in the sky. He tried counting them, filling his head with numbers to pass the hours until dawn like he would while he worked in his father’s business, but he failed. 

There was a strange sense of dread settling low and heavy in his stomach, robbing any chance of sleep from him even as his eyes burned and his fingers grew clumsy.

His gaze kept drawing back to one fire in particular. It was too distant for him to make out any details, but he watched.

* * *

Nicolo shifted his grip on his sword, a distant ringing in his ears. He knew men were screaming and dying around him, the desperate braying of horses wounded and panicked, but he couldn’t hear them. 

He tugged his helmet off, the padding going with it. The wind hit his sweat-soaked hair, eyes stinging with the sand it carried. Nicolo stood for a moment, breathing heavily as he waited. 

The air seemed charged, forcing him to wait for something. He scanned the sea of faceless men, eyes locking onto one figure. A burst of emotions in his chest drew him forward.

* * *

The blood was warm on Yusuf’s face, slipping through the gap in his helmet to cover his face in a fine mist, salt and iron coating his tongue.

The battle raged around him, but he was still, a pocket of sanctuary as he waited. It was an unnatural stillness forced upon him, his breath sounding almost hollow in his ears.

A flicker of movement, the sun catching a sword just so, and Yusuf turned. The man stalking towards him moved with the grace of a predator, Yusuf moving to meet him with a wild grin on his face, sword raised.

* * *

It felt familiar. Nicolo swung his sword, already knowing the other man would block it, the sand churned up beneath their boots. His heartbeat was steady, the world around him slipping away, narrowed to this one moment.

He knew he was going to lose.

The other man grinned, the flash of movement visible before he swung at Nicolo again, his sword moving to block before the blow even arrived. He was beautiful, the scent of spices clear beneath the iron of blood and salt of sweat. 

Nicolo had accepted he would die on this Crusade, soul safe and conscience heavy. 

* * *

Something about the Frank had changed. Yusuf had not fought him before, couldn’t place the strange sense of familiarity, despite the deceptive ease of their battle, but he knew.

It was the fire in his eyes, as blue as the sky and hiding a storm within. Their swords rang as they struck together. The man backed away with a cut spanning his forearm where his armor slipped, and Yusuf felt a sympathetic line of heat on his own arm.

In another life, things could have been different, but Yusuf moved for the kill, the sun beating down on them both. 

* * *

Nicolo threw himself at the Moor, the man’s sword easily sliding into his chest as if his armor was nothing, but Nicolo’s sword found it’s mark too. 

The wound was cold, breath catching in his chest as the other man staggered, hands flying to his chest with a look of such pure surprise on his face. A pang of sympathy hit Nicolo’s heart, pushed away as Nicolo’s knees weakened, falling to the sand. 

He knew some medical knowledge, but the sword had struck true. The man hit the ground next to him, eyes locked onto Nicolo’s face as they died.

* * *

Was this dying?

Yusuf couldn’t help but feel impressed at the other man, both killed by him and the one who killed him, as he gasped for breath, blood coating his tongue. 

Sand bit into the small cuts on his hands, sweat stinging his eyes as he fought for just a few more moments. If he could hang on, just long enough…

Yusuf knew what a dying man looked like. He knew he would see the same look of bitter anger on his own face. 

“You won’t win,” he hissed at the other man, who only grinned, slow and sweet.

* * *

Yusuf stared out at the fires, running the numbers through his head like sand through his fingers. It felt so familiar, dread and exhaustion intertwined in his stomach, settling like a stone. Idly, he rubbed at his chest.

Nicolo curled up on his side, hands pressed to his chest, staring at the fire. Sparks flickered up into the air and he couldn’t breathe. Dread curled like a viper around his heart and he pressed his cross to his lips. He would win next time. The thought disappeared as soon as it appeared, leaving nothing but cold certainty in its wake.

* * *

  
  


“Anything?” 

Andy sat in the armchair like it was a throne, IV bag hanging up over one shoulder. 

“No change,” Booker reported, eyes sunken and face pale in the vibrant white glow of the Animus server database. “Some minor peaks in brain activity, but they’re at a loss.”

“And the serum?”

Booker flinched, guilt hanging like a noose around his neck. “Nothing.”

Nile paced, chewing at a hangnail that healed even as she worried it. “We have to keep trying.”

It was strange to see Joe and Nicky so still, but they were curled into the other, hands held tight.

**Author's Note:**

> Terminology from [ here](https://lucyclairedelune.tumblr.com/post/630861970874220544/some-fun-facts-for-the-old-guardkaysanova-1-the) so apologies if I've messed anything up


End file.
